Car-coupling



2 sheetssheet 1.

(NoMoael.)

0. W. RASMUSBN.

l GAR COUPLING.

'Patented June' 20, 1.882.

Illllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. BASMUSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

cAR-couPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,719, dated June 20, 1882.

' Application inea April 1o, iss-2. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that l, CHARLES W. RAsMUsEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has for its object to provide a coupling of such construction as will avoid to a great extent the shocks occasioned by the passage of cars around curves; and it is especially applicable to cars of elevated or cable railways, where the curves to be traversed are usually very'ab'rupt. This object of my invention I accomplish by the mechanism hereinafter fully described, particularly defined in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom of sections of two coupled cars, showing their relative position in traversing a curve. Fig. 2 is a sectional view upon line y y of Fig. 1, a portion of one of the draw-heads being broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail back view of yoke for supporting the draw-head, the vshank of the draw-head being shown in section. Y Fig. Ltis an enlarged detail view ot' the spring mechanisln for supporting the drawhead shank, parts being shown in section and parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a front view of a Inodied form of draw-head. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view, and Figs. 7, 9, and 1l plan views of modified forms of coup liugs embodying my invention. Figs. 8 and 12 are detail views, partly in section, of modiications of the mechanism for coupling the draw-heads. Fig. l0 is a sectional view on line a z of Fig. 9.

A A designate the platforms of two connected cars to which my improved couplin gis applied, said coupling consisting of two main duplicate parts, one of which is attached to the under side of each platform. Securely fastened to the platforms are the yokes a, in which are supported in a manner free to slide therein the rods B, which project some distance beyond the yokes and carry the spiral springs b b. The outer ends of these springs rest within the cup-shaped sockets a of the yokes a, and their inner ends rest within the cup-shaped washers b3, which bear against the square central portions of the rods B.

l Upon the axle Bis pivotally hungthe shank C of what I designate the draw-head77 or.

buffer,77 C', and the reduced ends of this axle pass through suitable perforations in the en'- larged portions of the rods B, and are retained in place by means of thejam-nuts b4. The shank C is journaled to the axle B', as shown, and against the under side of this shank bears the spring-plate c', which is attached securely to the bottom of the yoke C2 and serves to keep the shank pressed normally against the bottom of the platform. The height of this yoke C2 is made considerably greater than the thickness of the shank, thereby permitting the free vertical vibration ofthe latter upon its axle.

The draw-head orbufter C', attached to the shankC, consists of the upper and lower parts, C3 and C, having the laterally-curved ianged buffer-plates c2 and c3 set such distance apart as to form the slot c4 for the passage of the connecting link or bar.

Across each of the plates C3 and C4 is formed a slot, c5, of a curvature corresponding to that will be seen that after the connecting link `or bar E' has been placed in theslot c4 of the cars will be coupled very closely together;

and it is also apparent that the usual slight vertical motion of the cars incident to the action of the car-sprin gs will be readily permitted by the movement of the shanks of the draw-heads upon their journals, and as the ends of the cars are deiiected in turning a curve the link E and the rollers D will travel freely vin their slots c5, their position being constantly and gradually shifted, and a uniform distance between the draw-heads being maintained. The spiral springs upon the rods B serve to avoid any sudden shocks when the draw-heads or buffers are bumped together, or when the cars are started suddenly. Y

If desired, the draw-heads may each be provided with two slots, or more, extending laterally across its face, as shown in Fig. 5. This form of draw-head is made by placing the IOO plates c2 and o a greater distance apart and by placing between them the plate cw, the con struction of the remaining parts ot" this moditication being the saule as that of the coupling heretofore described. Where cars with platforms of different heights are to be coupled, it will be found advantageous to employ this form of' draw-head having a series ot' slots.

ln Fig. 6 I have shown a modification of my invention wherein the drawheads or but'ers are each formed of a single plate and are each provided with a single slot and a roller, D, for attachment to the connecting-bar, which in this construction is placed above the drawheads. The shanks and attachments of this modified i'orm of coupling, being the same as already described, have not been further illustrated.

In Figs. 7, 9, and 1l are shown modified forms ot' couplings in which is retained, however, the principal feature of my `inventionm namely, the laterallyeurved draw-heads, behind each of which is formed an open space or slot for the free travel of the rollers by which the connecting-bar is carried. In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the draw-heads or bufi'ers C consist each of a single curved plate, which extends across the front of the platform, and is provided with the slots of in its ends, through which pass the retaining-bolts. The draw -heads C in this instance are made somewhat flexible, and it will be seen that when pressure is exerted upon them-as when the cars are bumped together-they will be free t0 move to the extent of the slots a9, and thus avoid the shock. The connectingbar E in this construction, as shown in detail in Fig. 8, is formed integral with the pins E, which pass through the rollers D, which are retained upon the pins by the ilanges e. The cars are readily coupled by dropping the connected pins, link, and rollers over the draw-heads or buffers, the rollers being thus free to travel in the space c5.

The draw-heads illustrated in Fig. 9 consist each ot' a single curved plate, C', provided with a central slot, e, extending nearly across the same. The ends of this curved plate are held by and slide freely in the yokes c, depending from the bottom of the platform, and upon these ends, and between the yokes, are placed the spiral springs cl3, against which the washers c14,tixed rigidly to the ends of the drawheads, act, thus giving a yielding action to the draw-head or buier. In this modiiication two The rollers are placed at a distance apart somewhat less than the width of the connecting-link, and are each provided with a circumferential groove, d4, in which such link is held by the link-pin E, which passes through the perforations of the crossbars d3.

Thedraw-heads ot' the modified form ot coupling shown in Fig. 1l are each made from a single dat metal plate, bent in such manner as to form the plates G G', with the slot c5 between them, and the shanks G, which are connected to the carin the same way as is the coupling shown in Fig. 1. Within the slots c5 of the draw-heads are held the perforated dan ged rollers D, through which the pins E, formed integral with the link E', are dropped in coupling the cars.

It will be seen that in each ot the several modifications of my invention above described the coupling of the cars is effected in such manner that the draw-heads are retained uniformly close together and a free lateral movement of the connecting-bar is permitted. By this means the sudden shocks incident to the passage of trains of cars around curves is in great measure avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A cur-coupling having laterally-curved buiers or draw-heads, each with a slot or open space behind the face of the same, in combination with a connecting-link, and with mech anism for attaching said link to thedraw-heads, adapted to travel in each slot or open space and to permit the free lateral movement of tbc link from side to side of the draw-heads with out displacement, substantially as described.

2. A car-coupling having a connecting-link, rollers f'or said link, and buffers or draw-heads having laterallycnrved rails upon which said rollers travel, substantially as described.

3. A car-coupling the bui'ers or draw-heads of which are provided with laterally-curved faces,having slots extending across said faces to receive the connecting link or bar and permit the free lateral movement of the same from side to side ot' the draw-heads without displacement, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the draw-heads or buffers C and their shanks (j, of the yoke C2 and spring c', the axle B', rods B, springs b b', and yokes a, substantially as described.

CHARLES W. RASMUSEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. FISHER, Jr., WILLIAM C. WRITING.

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